I live in New Orleans Louisiana and play at many live casinos. Well, there are only three here in New Orleans, the Boomtown Casino, Treasure Chest Casino, and Harrah's New Orleans. I go to Harrah's Casino most of the time because it is only 20 minutes drive. I take 90 minute drive to Biloxi, Mississippi once every month and play at casinos along the coast. In January I made a visit to Beau Rivage Casino, I wanted to try the poker room out since I was never there before.

When I play live games I play for bad beat jackpots or tourneys. The bad beat jackpot was $40k, where quads or better has to be beat. They also had a few promotions going on where if you make 4 of a kind you get $25, straight flush $50, and royal lush $100. If you played late night the prizes are double. Late night is considered 12:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and only Monday through Thursday. After 3 hours and up $100, I decided to leave with my winnings. As I walked towards the exit I noticed my favorite table game, Pai Gow poker. It uses 53 cards, a joker is included which can be used to make a straight, a flush or an "A". You get 7 cards and make 2 hands, one with 5 cards and the other with 2 cards. Your highest hand has to be used with the 5 cards. Your lowest hand has to be used with 2 cards. For example, let's say you get deal 5-K-A-A-2-5-6. Your highest hand with 5 cards will be A-A-K-6-2. Your lowest hand with 2 cards will be 5-5. Your highest hand can not be lowest than your lowest hand, you can not set it as A-A then 5-5-K-2-6. If your low hand is higher than your high hand, it is considered foul hand and you automatically lose. They have a house button if you do not understand how to play they will set your hand for you with the house way. In order for you to win you must win both hands vs. the dealer. If you win one and lose one, you push and if you win you pay 5% commission. For every $5 you win, there is a$ 0.25 commission you must pay. So if you bet $100, you win $95. The house has slight advantage compared to other games like roulette or craps. After 1 hour I turned my $100 to $1000. My average bet was $100 and I left winning $900 plus the $100 that I initially invested. One month after my visit, Beau Rivage Casino sent me coupon for free hotel accommodation and $100 free play. I was so excited and could not believe it. Then again they sent me another one in March. I went on March 31^st to get my free $100 play. They gave me four $25 house chips that can be easily converted to regular $25 casino chips if you win. Win or lose they take the $25 house chip. I only stayed 15 min and won $100, enough for them to offer me free buffet for two. My wife was with me this time; actually she ended up losing $20 playing nickel machines on slots. We ate at the buffet and I have to admit that they have some of the best food I have tried in a casino. I been to many casinos and ate at many buffets, however, the Beau Rivage is definitely one of the best I been too. The variety of food I got to choose from was so good that I can barely wait to go back again in April.